Carriage vs Carriage Style Garage Doors: Choose the Best for You

If you like traditional garage doors, there will be a dilemma when you are about to choose for your home. Should you invest in hinged ones or carriage style garage doors? The impact on your home’s exterior style is one and the same. All you need to consider is function. And convenience.

What’s the difference between carriage & carriage style garage doors?

Carriage are the traditional hinged residential garage doors. They swing out to let you drive in or out of the garage. They are considered traditional because although improved over the years, they are a replica of the very first garage doors ever produced. Invented if you wish. Back in the day, garages were simple sheds and only had a two-panel door which swung out. But it wasn’t long before the sliding tracks were invented and so the overhead garage door became the norm. In spite of its disadvantages though, the traditional carriage door is still available today. Its style was so popular that manufacturers created a ‘clone’: the carriage house garage doors. These are actually overhead doors but their panel style is reminiscent of the traditional carriage doors.

Which garage door type is best for you? It depends on your property, your habits, your budget, and your expectations.

Carriage style garage doors

Think of an overhead door with the face of a traditional door. What you get is the classic style you love but all the benefits of new technology. Consider the main features of overhead doors. They open up and lie over your head and across your ceiling. They are electric garage doors. They can be insulated and not necessarily made of wood. They can be steel doors with a wood finish. They might feature windows or not. The idea is that you get the desired rustic look of barn style doors and the convenience of overhead door operation. Not bad at all!

Traditional hinged garage doors

They have two doors, which swing out. Since most people have sectional or roll up garage doors, they will definitely make a difference to your home’s style. But are they going to be convenient? The problem with these types of doors and the reason why they are not so popular lately is that they need too much space in the yard or driveway. Plus, you cannot bring the car too close to the garage door. Or it won’t open. These are both major concerns to your daily convenience. Due to the way they open, you will also have a problem when it snows or there is any kind of obstruction behind the doors. They will simply not open.

Which garage door type would you choose?

To do some justice to the traditional doors, let us just say that they are not as dangerous as overhead doors. They might still pose some safety concerns if children stand behind the opening doors but think of the overhead door’s weight should it collapses! But we are not talking about safety matters here. They are always a concern and thus the need for garage door repair and maintenance is always high no matter which type you choose. But when it comes to your daily convenience, it’s no accident that barn style garage doors get our vote. And since they are popular, the carriage style garage door designs are numerous too.